Expression of retinoid-related genes in serum-free cultures of normal, immortalised and malignant human oral keratinocytes

Retinoids are used in the clinical treatment of oral squamous carcinoma, including both early and late stages. Inter-individual variation in responsiveness, including a common insensitivity of advanced stages, suggest that changes in retinoid-related functions might characterise tumor development. To investigate a genetic basis for this hypothesis, an in vitro multi-step model of carcinogenesis involving normal (NOK), SV40 T antigen-immortalized (SVpgC2a) and malignant (SqCC/Y1) oral keratinocytes was analysed under identical culture conditions using micro-array technique (Affymetrix HG_U95A chip) for expression of 52 genes related to retinoid metabolism and actions.

Dressler D, Sarang Z, Szondy Z, Engelhart K, Grafström RC

Int J Oncol. 2002 May;20(5):897-903.